1. Field of the Present Invention
The present invention is in the field of computing devices and more particularly in the field of computing devices having PC card slots.
2. History of Related Art
The Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) develops standards for low-cost, credit card-sized, interchangeable computer peripheral devices called PC Cards. The published specification for these devices is called the PC Card Standard. The PC Card Standard specifies the electrical and mechanical interface between the PC Card device and the socket it is plugged into. The standard also defines the software support needed to configure and control the device. The PCMCIA software architecture enables PC Cards to be configured dynamically at the time of insertion, thus providing hot-plugging capability. Hot plugging allows users to add (or remove) peripheral devices to their computer system without rebooting it.
A PC Card is a peripheral device that can add a wide variety of capabilities to computers including memory, mass-storage, LAN, fax/modem and wireless communications. Although PC Cards can be implemented in a variety of computing devices, they are most prevalent in notebook and laptop PC's and other mobile computing devices. The standardized PC card is roughly the dimensions of a credit card, and has a standardized 68-pin connector at one end. To allow manufactures to add functions and technologies in the PC Card form factor, PCMCIA has defined three PC Card types. All three types are the same length and width and are 3.3 mm thick along their guide rails and connector ends so they can be inserted into standard PCMCIA slots. The Type I card is a constant 3.3 mm thick and is commonly used for memory. The Type II card is 5 mm thick to accommodate applications that require slightly more room for components such as fax/modem and network cards. The Type III card is 10.5 mm thick to accommodate higher-profile communication devices such as rotating storage media and wireless communication devices.
More recently, the PCMCIA has recommended extensions to the PCMCIA Type I and II Card Types. The extended cards are identical to the regular cards with the exception of their length. The extended cards are typically 50 mm longer than the regular cards, although longer and shorter extended cards may exists. The primary uses for the card involve applications that need components outside of the systems or simply more room for internal components. Among the more common of these extended cards are wireless network interface cards that connect notebook and laptop PC's to a local area network.
While it may be desirable or necessary to have a portion of some PC cards exposed to the environment during operation, there are clear risks associated with a peripheral device that extends beyond the boundaries of the computer in which it is installed, especially in the context of mobile computing devices such as notebook computers. Specifically, the exposed portion of a PC card is susceptible to mechanical stress or damage at any time, but especially during times when the computer is being packed or transported. A solution to this problem is to remove the PC card whenever it is not in use, but this solution has obvious drawbacks including the increased risk of loss when the PC card is separated from the computer and the time required for the operating system to recognize the device when it is later reinserted (PC cards are designed for plug and play compatibility). It would be desirable to implement a mechanism and apparatus for preventing PC Cards and extend PC Cards from being exposed to the environment when not in use.